Search the Site |
When did Bumper Stickers become Profound?
The craziest things catch our attention. Today it was a bumper sticker that threw me deep into thought. Six little words...
Change is inevitable, growth is optional Is there a situation where that isn’t true? Arguably, the biggest, most obvious, example in recent history is 9/11. That invoked change on a world wide scale and some ‘insert word here’ (countries, leaders, and people) encountered growth, while others did not. What about having a baby? I’ve never met a woman who wasn’t completely transformed by the experience, but that event did not guarantee she would have certain and specific growth. And for the record, here, I’m not touching the topic of the father’s change or growth due to the said baby event! Today I choose brave over crazy. I continue thinking … clearly the aging process is inevitable, but my reaction to it seems somewhat stunted. Then it hits me. Change happens outside of me. I have no control, no special abilities to stop it or even really slow it down. But growth, it is completely, 100% within ME. This is the one place where I am a sculptor. Now, this is exciting. I have no artistic skills to speak of, yet I can create beauty, where before there was nothing. I can be the bigger person; more patient, more forgiving, the one who not only seeks greatness, but achieves greatness. I’m on a roll, I feel the power. I am becoming my own motivational CEO. However, curiosity gets the better of me and I Google. Those 6 words that were seemingly going alter my attitude couldn’t be written by some anonymous bumper sticker company. This wasn’t a phrase found scrawled on a bathroom wall somewhere, was it? I’ll manage your expectations, there is NO closure. The first result was attributed to Walt Disney. However, further digging each showed several others who claim the phrase. I’m choosing to believe the first result; the credit goes to a man who chose an optimistic life and created the first animated motion picture, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”. Returning from my thoughts, I read that the US started 2010 with the highest unemployment rate in more than 25 years. Companies, in reaction to decreased earnings are reducing the benefits available to those who are still working. If you are looking for work or still have a job, you are facing change beyond your control. As you can see, I’m setting this up for the big question. What are you going to do about it? As your own motivational CEO you will be required to develop and execute a strategy. It may mean understanding social media’s impact on job searches or creating a health and wellness plan to reduce your health care costs. Is doing nothing really an option? Change is inevitable, growth is optional. This time, you get to be the sculptor … choose to grow. blog comments powered by Disqus |
